It seems like what most of you are saying is "only when they're funny about it."

That does not seem like a fair standard. How can you tell if a joke is funny until you tell it an see who laughs? Also, what is funny for one is never funny for all. Is there some percentage of people that have to find it funny or in "good taste" for it to be allowable? >50%?

I think it's more that we don't want to see them when they're negative towards others. I've heard comedians use it the equivalent of saying "If I were to go to prison, my first thought would be, 'Don't rape me bro! I like my butt!'". That's cliche of course, but it doesn't actually laugh at someone being raped. It's self-deprecating. Some people still might feel uncomfortable, as some people just hate the word, but there are tasteful ways like that it can be used. But there's those who are not using it tastefully._________________ My Art

Joined: 09 Jul 2006Posts: 9718Location: I have to be somewhere? ::runs around frantically::

Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:07 pm Post subject:

Should comedians be free to joke about anything? Yes. Do I think most comedians are good enough to tell a decent and funny joke that isn't created from hate? Nope but that is no reason to say it shouldn't be done._________________Before God created Las he pondered on all the aspects a woman might have, he considered which ones would look good super-inflated and which ones to leave alone.
After much deliberation he gave her a giant comfort zone. - Michael

Should comedians be free to joke about anything? Yes. Do I think most comedians are good enough to tell a decent and funny joke that isn't created from hate? Nope but that is no reason to say it shouldn't be done.

I think it's more that we don't want to see them when they're negative towards others. I've heard comedians use it the equivalent of saying "If I were to go to prison, my first thought would be, 'Don't rape me bro! I like my butt!'". That's cliche of course, but it doesn't actually laugh at someone being raped. It's self-deprecating. Some people still might feel uncomfortable, as some people just hate the word, but there are tasteful ways like that it can be used. But there's those who are not using it tastefully.

So, you don't like it when they make fun of politicians or celebrities, just themselves?

Snorri wrote:

I don't believe you can give a good case for "ought" no matter what the "ought" is.
so my response is electric chocolate pizza.

An humorist said sometime ago: "one can laugh about everything, but not with everybody".

Sounds good enough for me.

I second that.

I am sure that this joke:
How many potatoes does it take to kill an Irishman?
None
would be offensive to people in 1800s
but now it's just....borderline witty._________________Tsosm! Hydrogen fuel and Grumpy Cat coffee

I don't know. I'm so fucking sick of hearing about rape jokes (and hearing actual rape jokes) at this point. It's like I can't get away from them now and I really truly hate them. Do I want to take that a step further and tell everybody ever they're not allowed to make them? No, not really. I don't want to talk to the kind of person that makes that kind of joke. I'd rather have nothing to do with them at all.

Ultimately, I look at them and think "Who would you rather laugh with, a rapist or someone who's been raped?" I know my own answer to that question, and I can easily guess theirs. I'm allowed to be completely disgusted with their choice.

Will I tell them to stop? No. I wish they would, but I'm fully aware of how affective telling anybody to stop is, especially when it comes to bad humor. I'd rather use my time productively and in a way that won't get me a total shit storm. I'd rather spend my time with people who are actually funny.

Edit to add: This post very much spawned by recent experiences in real life. I've generalized a lot, there may be exceptions? I don't know. I may just need to not be around people for a while._________________Samsally the GrayAce

I think it's more that we don't want to see them when they're negative towards others. I've heard comedians use it the equivalent of saying "If I were to go to prison, my first thought would be, 'Don't rape me bro! I like my butt!'". That's cliche of course, but it doesn't actually laugh at someone being raped. It's self-deprecating. Some people still might feel uncomfortable, as some people just hate the word, but there are tasteful ways like that it can be used. But there's those who are not using it tastefully.

So, you don't like it when they make fun of politicians or celebrities, just themselves?

It's a different issue when you're talking about rape. Now if they talked about raping a politician, then yeah I don't think they should. Yes comedians make fun of others a lot. Those jokes don't have to come down to something vulgar about the person to be funny, do they? Lewis Black is one of my favorites. He's all about making fun of people, but he's smart. He doesn't resort to trashy jokes all the time like shit comedians do. He knows how to make people laugh without it._________________ My Art

Like a lot of people have said, it all depends on the joke itself, how it's used and when it's brought. Subjects like rape, murder, abortion, suicide, etc, are sensitive because they do cause pain and grief, so spreading them around like a knock knock joke is bound to get you hate. I say, if you have the ability to use it with class, then go ahead, otherwise you're an untalented troll._________________www.cobrasphinx.nl

Now if they talked about raping a politician, then yeah I don't think they should.

Really? I mean I bet there's a joke about raping a politician out there that would have 95% of people laughing ...

you know why cause, politicians are almost universally hated. So it's not so much what is theme of the joke, but who is at the butt of it.

If it's a joke which includes murdering and children...it's considered bad taste yet if it's a joke about about mass murdering lawyers ...then it could be funny. Cause you know lawyers are ...kind of universally hated too.
The usual
Q: What Do You Call 10,000 Lawyers At The Bottom Of The Sea?
A: A Damn Good Start.
is not that funny, but it's not considered offensive by most standards.
The same joke with different noun wouldn't be funny, even more it would be offensive.

My main point is a good comedian should recognize these subtle differences._________________Tsosm! Hydrogen fuel and Grumpy Cat coffee

It sounds like everyone gave answers along pretty much the same theme. Conversation over?_________________"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. Iíll do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman